Prime Minister Theresa May has now had a whole summer to think it over and yet it is clear she still does not have a plan for Brexit.

In Prime Minister’s Questions this week SNP Group Leader Angus Robertson asked her twice directly if she supports the UK’s continued participation in the European Union Single Market, and she refused to answer.

It beggars belief that the UK government expects to negotiate a Brexit settlement which protects UK citizens, when they have yet to decide what they want that deal to look like 11 weeks later.

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The situation is somewhat unsurprising given the state of affairs immediately following the Brexit vote. First the former Prime Minister David Cameron abandoned ship only to be followed by Farage and other Brexiteers doing the same.

Meanwhile, the First Minister and the Scottish Government are hard at work, focussed on securing Scotland’s continued membership of the EU. Here at Holyrood Mike Russell has been appointed as Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe, while at Westminster the SNP group prove themselves, yet again, to be the true opposition, by forming a Brexit committee which will shadow the UK government’s EU discussions.

Humza Yousaf

Against the backdrop of economic uncertainty being forced upon Scotland against her will, as a result of Brexit, the Scottish Government is continuing to put forward a vision and a plan for Scotland that is focussed on growth, community empowerment, and compassion.

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Earlier this week First Minister Nicola Sturgeon outlined the SNP’s Programme for Government – details of the Bills the Scottish Government will be bringing forward over the course of the 2016/17 parliamentary year.

The Programme for Government detailed by the FM on Tuesday is one which builds on our successes so far.

One important piece of legislation being brought forward is the Child Poverty Bill which builds on Scottish Government schemes such as the ‘baby box’. This will provide new mothers with a box of necessities designed to support the health of mothers and babies. The re-appointment of the Independent Poverty Adviser Naomi Eisenstadt is also very good news indeed.

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The Scottish Government will also introduce a Domestic Abuse Bill, which creates a specific offence of Domestic Abuse and is designed to make it easier to prosecute abusers, particularly for abuse which is psychological in nature, as well as the physical.

This is another step by the Scottish Government towards ensuring that Scotland’s criminal justice system is able to tackle abuse in all its forms, following the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm Act which specifically criminalised the sharing of intimate images without the subject’s consent.

Finally, the Scottish Government is currently consulting with those who are affected by the Social Security system to design a system which is based on dignity, respect and equality. This consultation will then inform the Social Security Bill, which will also come before Parliament in the coming year.

Compare and contrast the approach of the Scottish Government focussed on social justice, compassion and dignity with the UK Government, who wants to scrap our human rights, believes those on welfare are scroungers and puts profit before people. It may explain why, after almost 10years in Government, the SNP is still hugely popular.